My health plan denied therapy. Do Marketplace plans have to cover mental health care?

HealthCare.gov says all Marketplace plans cover mental health and substance abuse services as essential health benefits. All plans must cover behavioral health treatment such as psychotherapy and counseling, mental and behavioral health inpatient services, and substance use disorder treatment [1].

Your specific benefits depend on your state and the plan you choose. The full list of what each plan covers is shown when you compare plans in the Marketplace [1].

HealthCare.gov also says these things [1]. Marketplace plans can't deny you coverage or charge you more for a pre-existing condition. That includes mental health and substance use disorder conditions. Coverage for them begins the day your coverage starts. Marketplace plans can't put yearly or lifetime dollar limits on any essential health benefit.

"Parity" protections generally mean limits on mental health and substance abuse services can't be more restrictive than limits on medical and surgical services. This covers financial limits such as deductibles, copayments, coinsurance and out-of-pocket limits. It covers treatment limits such as days or visits covered. It also covers care management, such as needing authorization before treatment [1].

Open HealthCare.gov, Mental health & substance abuse coverage, at https://www.healthcare.gov/coverage/mental-health-substance-abuse-coverage/ and read the part quoted above. Your own plan or policy papers hold details these sources do not give: "Don't know yet" for your case.